Escape
by DevilPup
Summary: How do you escape a life you’ve forced into? How do you escape the waters trying to drown you? The flames trying to consume you? The air suffocating you? How do you save yourself from… Yourself? PDLD.


-1

Okay, so this was supposed to be a short one shot. Finn 'saves' Rory and Finn and Rory hook up. That didn't quiet happen. Somewhere about half way through I realized it was too long for a one-shot, but too short for a multipart-er. So. I'm not sure exactly what it is. It's mostly 16 pages of, "Huh?" There is a lot of dialogue, quite a bit of repetition, and a plot line I'm not even sure of. I don't like the ending in terms of the story. But, oh well. This is what I wrote. I know I should have been working on my other stories, but I was being bugged by this and I'm at a slight stand still with the other two, so. Here. PDLD goodie-ness.

**Warning: **There is _some_ mature content. There are some vulgar words aside from cursing, such as the naming of body parts. Do you have any idea how hard it is to name them without being vulgar and yet not lose the point of the word? Diction sucks. Anyway, there is mature content, so be advised.

This is like 8 Chapters in one. I could have posted them separately, but then the chapters would only be like 1-2 pages long each and that's no fun. So, you have 8 chapters in 1. They aren't numbered, but they have titles. Enjoy. _Breanne_

_**Escape**_

**Summary:** How do you escape a life you've forced into? How do you escape the waters trying to drown you? The flames trying to consume you? The air suffocating you? How do you save yourself from… Yourself?

_**The Engagement**_

The snow had pilled up high all around them. The gazebo they stood in reminded her off the one in the heart of hometown; somewhere she hadn't been in almost two years. Her royal blue velvet dress drew the cerulean out of her eyes making them sparkle with life. If only it had been true. She'd learned to fake the sparkle, or maybe it was that she had created a new sparkle to replace the one she lost.

He watched helplessly as his friend bent down on one knee in the middle of the snow, her face glowing from the cold as realization began. He knew it was a mistake to watch this, to be the supportive best friend and encourage it. His hold tightened on his date's waist, causing her to snuggle into his side and let out a wistful sigh. He watched his other best friends look on with smiling faces. Was he really the only one who thought this was a mistake?

"Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, Ace, will you marry me?" He tried to look away. He really truly tried. But it was an impending car crash. You stay rooted to your spot and watch the inevitable fall out you cannot stop.

But he could have. He could have stopped it. But he didn't.

"Oh my, Logan… yes! Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" The couple became ignorant to the cheers that erupted from the rest of them. No one noticed he stayed quiet.

"All right, all right. That's enough of that!" He called playfully, trying to mask the tension in his voice. "What do ya'll say we move this celebration _out_ of the freezing cold and into the pub where we can get smashed?"

She smiled warmly at him as she approached him, Logan's hand clasped tightly in hers. "Always thinking of alcohol, aren't you, Finn?" She teased as her hand pressed against his cheek affectionately.

"Always, Love." He smiled sincerely. "Seriously, though. Congratulations."

"Thanks, Aussie." He wrapped her small frame in a loving embrace and kissed her cheek.

"He's one lucky man, Huntz."

She smiled over at Logan, who had left the pair alone to talk to Colin and Stephanie, as well Finn's neglected date. "He's not the only lucky one." Her smile faded suddenly ever so slightly. No one else would have notice, but he always paid her extra attention like that.

"Something wrong, Love?"

"I wish she had been here." She whispered hoarsely, trying to hold the tears back.

"He tried, Love. He tried to hold out until you two made up, but he couldn't wait anymore." Startled, she looked up at him.

"How do you know he tried?"

"Because he… he went and asked her permission. She closed the door in his face." Her eyes fluttered closed and she tried to will the tears away. "I'm sorry, Love. I shouldn't have told you that."

"No, it's fine. Just… shows me how much he loves me. And that everything between me and her is not my fault. She's the one that needs to grow up."

"Now, I think we _really_ need alcohol." She nodded meekly. "Come on." He through his arm over her shoulder and dragged her over to Logan. "You sure picked a stubborn one, mate. I tried, but she won't runaway with me. You really are stuck with her."

"Good to know." Logan smiled, completely missing the underlying tones of Finn's voice. Everyone did. Logan pressed his lips into her forehead.

"All right. Finn's right. It's cold and I'm in the mood to celebrate! Come on Mrs. Huntzburger." Steph dragged Rory inside.

"Everyone keeps stealing my fiancée!" Logan whined, but everyone walked inside none the less. Colin and Logan speaking of inane things that they found fascinating and Finn's date gushing about how beautiful Rory's ring was.

He knew how beautiful the bloody thing was. He was the one who picked the damn thing out. Logan had no idea what to get her.

Was it wrong when he knew his best friend's fiancée better than his best friend did? Or was it wrong to know she was drowning and he just cut her last chance to escape? He turned his back and was watching her drown, listening to her silent screams she wasn't aware she was making.

No it wasn't wrong. It was life.

She watched amused as he sat pretending to listen to whatever it was Rosemary was droning on about. She herself had been listening to the girl go gaga over her ring for the last half an hour.

She adjusted said ring, now sparkling happily in the light. It was a gorgeous ring. A little over the top for her, but this was Logan. Of course it would be too much for her. Honestly, she had always figured he would either have some family heirloom ring or he would buy her a huge diamond worth more than her college education. Or former college education. The one she would have had had she not dropped out. Shaking away the negative thoughts she admired the beautiful sapphire and diamond ring sitting happily on her dainty finger.

"Oh, I need to use the ladies' room. Stephanie, Rory?" Rose asked getting up.

"I'm fine." She quickly declined. Steph however, wanted desperately to get away from Colin and Logan's continuous yapping about pre-nubs. A little tacky for her taste. Once the other girls left, Finn leaned in conspiringly.

"Did you know that you have an _absolutely amazing _ring. I mean, have you seen it?"

"You know, I think I caught a pretty good glimpse of it when he put it on my hand, but I don't know. Let's stare at some more and see if it gets any prettier. Maybe we missed something!" She played along. The pair mockingly stared at her ring before laughing.

"It is a beautiful ring though. I'm a little shocked Logan bought something so, simple. I mean, it is a definitely not cheap, but I don't think it cost too much did it?"

"No. I talked him out of some like that though."

"Really? You were with him?"

"Uh huh. Come on, do you trust Logan with something as important as your engagement ring alone? The first one he picked up cost more than your car did."

"Wow."

"Yeah. It had a huge diamond in the middle with decent sized pink ones on the sides."

"Wow."

"And then finally we got him to put a limit on it like a normal person. He finally conceded on this one. It was still a pretty penny though, Love."

"Wow."

"Any other words?"

"Um?" He laughed.

"Um isn't a word, Reporter Girl." Her smile slid off her face. "Sorry, Love. Slipped."

"It's fine. Besides, I'll be Mrs. Reporter Girl soon, anyway." The jab at his heart didn't go unnoticed by him, but she was fairly oblivious.

"Yeah, you will."

_**Crazy**_

A few months passed without much hassle. However, after the engagement party thrown by Emily and Shira, things were beginning to get tense for Rory. The women wanted to know colors and china and guest lists and places and dates. All Rory wanted was to pick out a dress and elope.

When Finn entered the Pub in the middle of the afternoon to find Rory nursing a Martini he knew something was wrong.

"Love?" He questioned sitting down across from her in the booth. She didn't register his presence for some time.

"Oh! When did you get there?" Rory asked clutching her chest in shock.

"Somewhere about 20 minutes ago…."

"Seriously?"

"No. Only about 5. You alright?" He cocked his head to the side a little to take her in better.

"I'm fine. I promise. I'm just, exhausted. Everything is getting to be a bit too much. Between Emily and Shira I'm going crazy." She laughed it off as if it were nothing.

"You must be going crazy. It's only 2 o'clock and you're drinking are Martini…"

"A Chocolate Martini, thank you."

"Either way it isn't coffee, black or Irish." She let out a mock gasp.

"You know I would _never_ defile the nectar of the gods with such things!"

"I know, Love. Remember who told who 'I told you so?' when Someone decided to spike your beloved?"

"Logan never learns, does he?" She smiled faintly thinking of the many times Logan had tried to get her to drink by putting in her coffee.

"Speaking of. Where is lover boy?" She sighed. Where else would he be? He knew the answer as well as she did. It was the slightest hope on both their minds that he wasn't.

"New York, where else? With the wedding, Mitchum is making him work twice as much so that he doesn't get 'distracted' once he's married. I hate those people." She pouted and it took every once of his will power not to lean over and kiss it away.

"Well, to your benefit they don't like you much either, so don't feel bad." He tried lightening the mood a bit.

"Well, that's good. When I fail as a society wife, no one will wonder why!" It worked. She was laughing again.

"Is that what you really want? Is to be a society wife, Rory?" The use of her name startled her. Rarely was she anything but Love or Kitten, or RG. Occasionally there was a Ror, but rarely ever, almost never was there a _Rory_.

"What do you mean?" Her gaze was accusing, but to whom, he wasn't sure. Was she accusing him of things, or herself?

Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself for one of the most difficult conversations of his life. "I mean, do you really want this life? Sitting in the pub at 2 in the afternoon sipping on a martini because you've nothing better to do while Hubby kills himself at work?" She was suddenly angry.

"How dare you, Finn." She exclaimed, drawing some attention to the two. "I am not sitting here because I have 'nothing better to do'. I am sitting here because I needed to escape my mother-in-law to be and my grandmother, who are driving me absolutely batty. And once we are married, Mitchum promised to back off and let Logan breath as long as he doesn't neglect the companies."

"I guess it's too late." He sighed, shaking his head sadly.

"What is too late?" She demanded.

"Are you aware of how bloody blind you are? 'As long as he doesn't neglect the companies'? Are you serious?" Now it was his turn to be angry. "What about his wife? His kids-" She groaned at the mention. "Mitchum doesn't give a shit if Logan neglects his family as long as his precious empire is safe. You really think Logan is going to be able to do everything you two are imagining? That he'll be home by 6 sharp everyday for dinner? He won't miss a recital or game? Will you even be there for them? Or will you be too busy with the DAR?" Her whole demeanor changed in a moment as she visibly deflated and broke before his eyes. "Oh, god, Rory." He quickly moved next to, holding her to his chest as she began to cry.

"What can I do, Finn? I'm stuck. She was right. This isn't the life I want. This is the life I'm being forced."

"Shh… it's okay. We'll think of something. We'll find you a way out if you really want it." She sniffled and recomposed herself, pulling away from him.

"I'm fine. I promise." He nodded, but didn't move away from her at all.

"So, what was with the groaning about kids, Love? Being pressured for grandkids already? Tsk tsk, you aren't even married yet! And these were the people freaking over you sleeping with him in the first place!"

She smiled at Finn's absurd humor. "Sort of. Emily found out that when you are on birth control it can take _months_ after you stop before it stops working. Although, ironically, they also tell you not to miss a day because then it may not work, either. Of course, she didn't want to hear it, and stole my pills and told me I wasn't allowed to be on birth control and that Logan and I would just have to… 'not fornicate' until our wedding night. It would it make things so much 'more special' if we haven't done it in a while. 'Almost like pretense of chastity.' That woman is evil. I'm so screwed up right now." She huffed in aggravation.

"And Logan is okay with not having sex for the next 3 months?"

"You make sound like we _are_ having sex." His eyebrows shot north at the statement.

"You two were always at like rabbits. What happened?" While he didn't particularly want to think about Logan having sex with her, he couldn't help his curiosity.

"Either he's in New York, or he's in Hartford, or he's in Trenton, or he's in Boston. Or he's too tired, too exhausted, too drunk… I mean, we do have sex, but. That's it. It's sex. There is no passion, no foreplay, no nothing but a moment of groping, Then its over so fast and he just… rolls over and goes to sleep. Grandma's 'no sex' idea isn't as unappealing as it may seem at first. I just want my birth control back…" He chuckled.

"Well, I can't say I know how that feels, Love." She smiled. "What do you say, you and I get piss bloody drunk right now?" She sat there contemplating the idea. As she thought her cell phone began ringing.

Groaning, she answered the phone begrudgingly. "Hello, Rory Gilmore."

"Oh, Rory! It's Shira. Emily and I were wondering where you are dear." The sickeningly sweet façade of her voice made Rory cringe.

"I'm out with a friend, Shira."

"Oh? And who might that be?"

"Finn, Shira."

"Why are you out with Logan's friend? Don't you have other friends? _Girl_ friends? Why don't you spend some time with Stephanie?"

"Finn isn't only _Logan's_ friend, Shira. And he's Logan's _best_ friend. We met up at the coffee shop accidentally and began talking. And as for Steph, she is out with Colin at the moment. Did you and Grandma want something?"

"Well," Shira began in her best 'I own you' tone, "We were hoping to go over the colors again. Those blues simply aren't working with the China for us."

"Well," Rory replied mockingly, "Finn needs some advice, and without Logan or Colin around to help him, I'm the next best thing. I have to look after my husband's interests, now don't I? Now if you'll excuse me, I'm being awfully rude. Good-bye, Shira." The small click of the phone hanging up was the sound of heaven to Rory at the moment. "I hate that woman." She grumbled.

"Ya know," he chuckled, "You are so going to be in deep shit for that one." She laughed along with him.

"Louis, I think we need to get drunk!"

"Here, here!"

_**Drunken Mistake**_

"I'm drunk!" Rory giggled as she and Finn stumbled into her apartment. No one was there, obviously as Logan was in New York.

"That you are, Kitten!" He paused for a moment, leaned over to her and whispered, or what his drunken mind relayed as a 'whisper', "I think I am, too."

"Really? That's not good."

"No, it's not." He sobered slightly. "I've been known to do unforgivable things when drunk." He whispered leaning into her.

"Like what?" She whispered back, their faces mere centimeters apart.

"Like telling secrets I really shouldn't."

"Like what?"

"Like right now, in New York, your dear Master and Commander is shagging his NY secretary in his hotel room."

"Finn!" She exclaimed, pushing him away from. He caught her arm though and pulled her back against his chest. "Get off me. Just because we are drunk, does not give you the right to lie to me about my boyfriend's fidelity."

"First of all." He drawled hotly in her ear, sending shivers through her entire being, "He's your fiancé, Kitten. And secondly, I'm not lying. There's Tara in NY, and Alice in Boston, and Gerri in Trenton, and shall I keep going, Love?"

"Bastard. Why are you telling me this?" She was crying, struggling to get out of his arms.

"You want out. I'm giving you that way."

"You get me drunk first! What kind of plan is that? What makes you think I'll even remember this in the morning?"

"Because that isn't the only part of my plan, Kitten."

"Stop…" She whined.

"Stop what?" He asked before his lips descending softly on the column of her neck, trailing kisses to her shoulder.

"Calling me… doing that! This isn't right, Finn. I'm engaged…."

"That's not stopping him, now is it?" He challenged, before sucking on a particular bundle of nerves at the junction of her neck and shoulder.

"This is going to change everything, Finn. There won't be any going back if we do this…." Even drunk her morality came through. Pity it came now and not 2 years prior when she needed it. Now, it was getting in his way.

Finally having enough and spun her around so she was facing him. "I know, Love. I know, Rory. I know. That's the fucking point. I know."

"Do you?"

"Stop thinking."

"What if I-" Can't? Can't wasn't an issue once his lips finally touched hers. She was lost in his kiss, drowning in the feelings she hadn't felt in so long. He picked her up and carried her to her bed.

As he traced kiss across her currently exposed skin, he began fondling her breasts through her shirt.

A strangled moan ripped through her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His straining erection pressing frustratingly against her damp core. Once he removed her shirt, clothes began flying off in a flurry.

Panting, desperately she clawed at the last remaining barrier: his boxers.

"Finn…." She moaned. "I wanna see what's down under…" Grinning, he slipped the offending garment off. Her jaw nearly fell off when he was fully exposed to her. "That's… oh my god… you're…. I've never seen one that… wow." In her transfixion with his glorious appendage she reached out to stroke him.

"Mmm… Love, we can do that later if you like, but right now I need to fuck you before I cum in that pretty little hand of yours." He reached over to her nightstand, the universal location of condoms in any home. "Fuck, you don't have any condoms?"

"No need. Birth control…Finn, just fuck me."

" _and stole my pills and told me I wasn't allowed to be on birth control and that Logan and I would just have to… 'not fornicate'… "_ The memory of her words struck him suddenly. Did she not remember she wasn't on birth control?

"Finn…" she groaned bucking her hips upward impatiently."Just fuck me already, please?" She pouted sexily up at him.

"Hmm…. I've got a better idea, Love…" He trailed off as he kissed his way down her body.

"No, Finn… I don't want that… I want you in me…"

"Shh… I will be. But… why fuck you…. When I can make love to you?" He asked as his tongue flicked across her clit. "What would you prefer? A night of sinful revenge and a quick fuck… or having that passion you haven't felt in over a year?"

"Finn…"

"Trust me, Love. Would Finny lie to you?" Her only response the moan that escaped as his tongue slid in-between her folds. "Relax and enjoy. Love."

Almost an hour later Finn was finally thrusting into her well used slot. She'd already came 3 times, yet nothing felt like the current one building in her as his monster of a penis slammed her.

"Oh, oh god. Oh, Finn… oh… uh… ugh!" She screamed out once more as her nails dug into his back and her legs locked around his hips.

"Bloody hell, woman." Multiple orgasms ripped through her before he finally sent one final thrust into her oozing hole, filling it with his own cum. "Rory…" He collapsed against her, cradling her as best he could.

"Finn… that was… I've never…"

"Shh…." He kissed her softly. "Sleep. Love. You need some rest if I'm going to do that to you again in an hour." She giggled as she snuggled into his arms. He laid on his side holding her clothes, as his softening cock stayed in her tired pussy.

'I hope this doesn't fuck me over.' He thought before escaping to the sweet world of sleep with his forbidden love in his arms.

When Rory woke up a while later, she felt an odd feeling between her legs. She felt like there was something lodged in her vagina. The first thought coming to mind was that she fell asleep with her vibrator in her or something. But it was warm. Very warm. And big. Very big. And then there was also the arms she was laying in. Opening her eyes she was startled to see it was Finn's arms, and apparently Finn's penis.

"Shit."

"Love?" His eyes peeked open. The slap was not what he'd been expecting.

"Asshole." She screamed., sitting up.

"What the fuck? Ow!" He quickly removed himself from her, rubbing tenderly at the yanked appendage.

"Shouldn't have left it there!" She said with no pity.

"You weren't complaining when it was there earlier, Rory." He stressed her name, letting her know he was entirely sober at the moment. "In fact…" He leaned into her, but she turned her head, "You were begging for it." He whispered hotly into her ear.

"How could you? How could you do that to me, Finn? I trusted you." She looked broken. He knew he was taking a very big risk having done this, but it was her only way out before she was completely broken by _them_.

He rested his forehead against the side of hers, sighing deeply as he began to explain. "Because it's the only way I can save you." Her body slumped forward at his words.

"Why didn't you just tell me he cheated? Why wasn't that enough?" He swallowed deeply.

"Because you would have ignored it. Just like the Bride's maids." She quivered.

"I never told you about that."

"I _am_ his best friend, Love."

"I wouldn't have taken him back. We were on a break then."

"No, you weren't. He was on a break. You were trying to find yourself in Europe, and failing. How many guys were you with when you were 'broken up'?" She remained silent. "Exactly. I couldn't risk you just ignoring it again."

"But you made me no better than him, Finn." She cried, finally looking him in the face. "Worse, even. It was revenge. With his best friend, Finn. His _best friend_!"

"Exactly. Guilt will eat you up until you tell him. And then when it would have been okay, and he would have forgiven you because he hasn't been faithful either, you'd be fine. But once you've slept with his best friend that changes everything. You broke an even more sacred bond."

"You just throw away your friendship with Logan. He'll forgive me, _if_ I tell him, which I may not. He won't forgive you. He'll blame you. It's your fault!" She cried. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I love you, Rory Gilmore. I couldn't sit back and watch you drowning anymore. Now the ball is in your court." He got out of the bed and began to redress. She watched in silent horror as reality began to sink it. She'd slept with her fiancé's best friend in their bed. "Even if this blows up in my face, and I lose a life long friendship, a few even, at least my conscious will be cleared. I tried to save you." He pressed a chaste kiss to her trembling lips and quietly slipped out of the room with a single glance back as he closed the door.

As soon as the door clicked softly, Rory ran to the bathroom, as everything came forward. After a while, a new realization sunk in. She wasn't on birth control anymore. Emily stole her pills. And Finn wasn't wearing a condom when they woke up, although he was still in her.

"Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no." And the fresh tears started all over again.

_**Running Away**_

Finn and Rory avoided each other as best they could. Logan and the rest were curious as to why the two barely spoke anymore, but never questioned it. Although, Logan noticed Rory was more withdrawn from him and Finn was drunk a tad bit more.

Finally, the day Rory had been dreading came. No, not her wedding. That was still 2 more months away, although she was dreading that, too. Her missed period.

Finn was not expecting Rory to be pounding on his door at 2 in the morning that night. Hell, he wasn't expecting to ever see Rory on his doorstep ever again.

"What?" He snapped ripping open the door. Once he realized who it was, his entire demeanor changed. He deflated for a moment before realization hit and he stiffened again. She looked like shit. Make up worn and running, hair disgruntled from the hand she kept running through it, her lip with small cuts in from all of the worry between her teeth she'd done. And he knew what she was going to tell him.

"Rory?"

"I hate you."

"Did you tell him?" He asked simply as he leaning against his door. She gave him an incredulous look.

"You knew! You knew didn't you? You did intentionally!" He looked down at her with no shame evident in his features. "You don't even care that you've ruined my life, do you?" Suddenly, anger flared in his eyes.

"_I_? I ruined your life? How did I ruin your life? Because I 'seduced you;' tricked you into cheating on your fiancé; got you knocked up?" This time, the slap was expected.

"How could you do that, Finn? Are you that selfish? Or were you just that drunk?"

"You knew, too, Ror. I could see it in your eyes you were piecing it together before I left. They _do_ have this little pill they made just for that. Drunken one night stands. Because that's all it was, right, Rory? Didn't mean a damn thing to you."

"I could never do that and you know it." She whispered.

"But you have, Love." She winced. Damn his memory. "I recall buying you the damn thing. The whole reason you went on birth control in the first place, remember?"

"That was different."

"Why, because it was your boyfriend's; not your one night stand's? That makes a lot of sense."

"Can we not have this argument in the middle of your hall?" He shifted to let her pass through the doorway before closing it softly behind her. "I was scared, then. I thought Logan would leave me if I had been."

"So instead you ran to Europe and let him cheat on you." He replied sardonically. "This seems like more of a case when you _should_ have used it. Even if it was Logan's… a pregnant bride? In Hartford Society? Scandalous." He mocked.

"Fuck you, Finn." She spat out.

"You already did, Love. And you enjoyed it, too."

"Why are you doing this to me?" She cried. "What did I do that you did this to me?"

"Why didn't you use the pill?" He challenged.

"What does it matter now?"

"Everything."

"I felt… so guilty the first time. You know that! You knew I wouldn't be able to do it again!"

"Actually, Love. I only came up with impregnating you when I didn't have a condom and you were begging me to fuck you."

"Can we _please_ stop reminding me of that?" She exasperated.

"Did you tell him?"

"I can't. How can I do that, Finn? If I tell him I'm pregnant, he's going to be ecstatic." She paused. "Until I tell him it's yours. Then he'll leave me, and my grandparents will disown me, and I'll be alone, raising my baby on my own."

"So, what are you going to do, Rory?" He raised his voice, all of her naivety getting to him. "Say, 'Oh, Logan, by the way, I'm pregnant. But don't worry that the baby looks nothing like you, and has an uncanny resemblance to Finn. Oh, and no one will care that I'm pregnant as long as they find out _after _the wedding. And I can just blame Grandma because _she_ stole my birth control. They'll be ecstatic once they find out!' Yeah, that'll really happen! Or were you going to have an actual abortion and wanted me to pay for it? Was that your idea?" She turned away from him as the reality of his words fell onto her. The shame in her eyes struck something in him. "You… Rory, I didn't…. I wasn't serious… I was angry…. I didn't… you were going to… how can you not only think that but actually have the nerve to ask me that?"

"How could you have the nerve to intentionally impregnate you best friend's fiancée?" She challenged back. "At least I have the decency of shame, Finn. You don't even care!"

"I did it for your own good! Because when you tell him that you are pregnant he's going to flip. Because he knows you haven't fucked in weeks, maybe months, because he's been fucking his assistants. And then you tell him that you had a one night stand and he forgives you and tells you to get an abortion. And I _thought_ you would refuse such. I guess that was the only flaw in my plan. But you would tell him, and he would flip. He wouldn't want to marry you, or he'd demand to know who it was so he could have the guy whacked or something and then when you tell him its mine, he refuses to marry you, again, and you get cast out of Hartford, away from Emily and Shira and Logan and everyone else that has ruined you! Send you back to your mother who will take you with open arms and forgive you and help you. And you'd be with me because I wouldn't leave your side and make sure you and our baby were happy and safe. But mostly so I wouldn't have to see the last part of Lorelai Leigh Gilmore III die. These people ruined you, not me. I tried to save you."

"By destroying me?" She screamed at him.

"Yes!" He screamed back. Shaking his head to clear the absurdity of his response, he clarified, "To destroy Ace… Rory Gilmore-Hayden Huntzburger. The thing you turned into when you dropped out of school."

"Why didn't you object when he proposed? Don't you think that would have saved us a lot of trouble?" She asked defeated. "Finn, I… I have to ask you to do something. I need you to disappear. Leave Hartford, Connecticut, the States. I don't care how far you go. Either you do, or Logan and I will move to New York or Boston or something. I can't… I can't have you around.

"I'm… I'm going to tell Logan that I'm pregnant. I'm not going to tell Logan that the baby isn't his. I will wait to tell everyone else about the baby until after the wedding. And by then one of us will be very far gone. Please, do not come after me or the baby. Just forget that it's yours. Forget we exist. You were willing to lose your friendship for this in the first place, and now I'm asking you to cash in on that." She stood in front of him with tears in her eyes.

"I can't-" He tried to voice his protests.

"No. Finn, I've made up my mind-" He kissed her. Just grabbed her and kissed her. She pushed him away almost instantly and ran to the door.

Tears streaming down her face, she gave him one last look and disappeared once more. The image of Finn standing in the middle of his living room looking as broken as she felt would be one that would stay in her memory forever.

By the following week, Finn was in Australia.

_**Facing the Truth**_

"Logan?" Rory called, entering her apartment. He was in his office, which was once their bedroom. She convinced him to switch the rooms somehow. The guilt she felt every time she entered the room was too much.

"In here." He called back. She entered the room, and the guilt consumed her as she knew it was. The irony of telling him in the very room she conceived was not lost on her.

"I have something I need to tell you." She played with her hands as she stood stiffly in the door way.

"Come here, tell me." He demanded gently, giving her a reassuring smile as she settled on his lap.

"I'm… wow, this is hard." She said. Telling Finn had been so much easier. She shook the thought away and tried again. "I'm… pregnant." Logan's jaw hit the floor it seemed.

"What? Wow! Oh my god, Ace, that's… oh my god!" The smile across his face made her heart retch. That was the smile that should have been on Finn's face. It was his baby, not Logan's. No, she got a nonchalant look at her news to her baby's real father. But it didn't matter. Logan was, for all those concerned, the baby's father. "Oh, shit. Wedding." Realization hit him quickly. She nodded mutely, hoping she wouldn't have to say much to him, that he, like Finn, would do most of the talking. Preferably without the yelling, though. "Well, we'll keep it between us until after that, okay? Well, actually, talk to the seamstress so she knows to put in extra material for last minute adjustments so you aren't showing or anything. Wait, how far along are you?"

"Oh, only a couple of weeks." 5 to be exact, but she wouldn't tell him that. "Happened after Grandma stole my pills."

"Oh… makes sense. I guess she had nothing to worry about then, huh?" He joked.

"Guess not."

"This is great, Ror. Now we can have sex again!" She smiled sweetly at him as the thought really made her want to through up.

"Yeah. We." She whispered softly to herself as he picked her up bridal style, taking her to the bed. The one she slept with Finn in. The one her baby was conceived in. The one she hadn't slept with Logan in since it happened. The one she cried herself to sleep in after she faked the most horrible orgasm of her life. Was it wrong that she was imagining he was Finn? That the only reason she was even able to cum at all was because she kept replaying the images of her drunken night through her mind?

"Here we go. That's the heart. Head, arms, legs." Rory watched the monitor with a conflicted heart. Logan sat beside her watching the baby with the biggest smile she'd ever seen. She wanted Finn. In the 3 weeks since she had told Logan, she found herself longing for Finn. Every kiss, every gentle touch, every time they laid in bed together. All that was on her mind was Finn.

"That's our baby, Ace." Logan cooed. Rory felt like she was some weird alternative universe. And it was _not_ **their** baby. It was her and Finn's baby. Finn's baby. Not Logan's. But she was. She was Logan's. Not Finn's. Finn had no right to claim her the way he did. But the guilt finally grabbed at her.

That night, while Logan was still staring at the pictures in his hands, she finally broke down.

"I'm so sorry." She cried. He looked at her in confusion.

"Ace, what's wrong?" At first he was chalking it up to hormones. Although they had something to do with her current state of mind, it was the guilt. Pure and simple, guilt.

"I'm sorry."

"For what, baby?"

"Exactly." Logan stared at her oddly. "It's not yours." She whispered shamefully. The dumbfounded look on his face was heartbreaking. But it didn't break her half as much as the look on Finn's had.

"I'm sorry, what?" His voice raised slightly. "What's not mine?"

"The baby." She whispered again, unable to raise her eyes, much less her voice to him.

"What do you mean?"

"When…" her voice cracked. She gathered her strength as best she could, and lifted her voice. "When you were in New York 2 months ago…. I… was informed that you were cheating on me. And, I… was already drunk at the time, and I trusted them, and he…. He tricked me… No, he didn't. He just played on my weakness. I…. I'd forgotten I wasn't on the pill anymore… It was an accident. It was supposed to be vengeful. This wasn't supposed to happen… I'm so sorry, Logan. I… didn't mean…"

"Why are you telling me? Why couldn't you just lie to me?" Shock was the first thing to run through her system. Was he getting mad at her for being honest? "It…. It doesn't matter. I… you should have just…. Neglected to mention it until we had another baby…." He was pacing, his arms were flying out around him.

"Are you serious?" She shrieked at him. "You would have preferred I lied to you for a few years that your child wasn't really yours?"

"Yes! You lied so far! What changed?" He yelled back. "What, guilt get to you or something?"

"He was right." She whispered quietly to herself.

"Who? Who was right? The real father?" She refused to meet his eyes. "Who is he? I want to know. I won't let him screw this up. We are getting married in 6 weeks. I am not dealing with this now." He demanded.

Finn's words were running through his mind. _…him whacked or something…._ "Who is it, Rory? We know him. If you were going to believe them that I was cheating on you then it had to be either- no. He wouldn't. He wouldn't do that to me. You wouldn't do _that_ to me. Tell me it wasn't… it was." He stormed across the room, making sure to put as much distance between them as possible. "My best friend, huh? Is that why he's in Australia? Did he decide to run away like the scared drunk he is, Rory? Is that why you're still with me? Because he wouldn't own up to it? Did you expect him to?"

"You know nothing, Logan!" She yelled at him. Had he been closer, she probably would have smacked him. "I sent him away! I tried to get him as far away from us as possible so that _we_ could be happy. You and me. And he was willing to go so that he didn't screw up _your_ life anymore. After of course he offered to take care of me. That when he was certain you'd force me get an abortion or just throw me out on my ass, he'd be there for me.

God, he knew what he was doing, yes. He tricked me, yes. But he did it _for_ me. Logan, can't you see what's happened to me in the last 2 and half years?" She cried helplessly to him.

"What, that you suddenly go around sleeping with my best friend and getting pregnant by him 2 months before our wedding?"

"That I'm becoming exactly what she didn't want!"

"Let it go, Rory. She wants nothing to with us. She abandoned you. Let it go. I tried, okay? I tried to fix it. I even tried to get her to _approve_ of me proposing. And that was after you hadn't been speaking for over a year! She wants nothing to do with you anymore. Who cares what she wants if she can't be happy for you?"

"How can you say that to me? About my mother…"

"Mothers and daughters aren't supposed to be best friends! Parents and children aren't supposed to get along, Ror."

"So, what, you'll just groom an heir when my baby is born?"

"When _our_ baby is born, sort of. They can have their own life. I won't abandoned them like my parents and put all that pressure on them, but I won't be their best friend. Although, clearly, loyalty means shit nowadays anyway."

"Logan are you aware of how idiotic you sound?"

"Not really, Ace. The only idiotic thing I hear is my fiancée telling me that my best friend, sorry former best friend, is the father of her baby, not me. Her fiancé."

"You haven't even denied it, Logan." She spoke softly.

"Denied what?"

"The cheating. God, what do you think started this? He got me drunk after your mother was driving me crazy and then told me you were cheating on me. And then he made love to me-" Logan scoffed, and she glared in reply, "And intentionally tried to get me pregnant so I could escape this."

"Escape what?" He asked clueless.

"I mocked people like you in high school. My mother and I would sit in Luke's and talk about the idiocies of Chilton. Of Hartford. Of this life. And here I am, about to be the perfect society wife."

"Complete with the exotic lover, too." He clipped.

"I need…. I need to go, Logan." She walked into the bedroom to pack a bag.

"Where are you going?" He demanded, but made no move to stop her.

"Where I belong."

"Australia?" He asked incredulously.

"No, Logan." She paused and closed her bag. "Stars Hollow."

_**Finally**_

The insistent knocking was not welcomed at the moment. Lorelai grumbled as she whipped open the door of the Crap Shack. "Who ever you are, you deserve to be shot."

"Would you shoot your only daughter that I'm aware of?" She asked meekly.

"Rory?"

"Mommy?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I… I screwed up. I screwed up big. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Tell me you forgive me. I need you. I need you so much right now. I don't know what to do." She collapsed into her mother's waiting arms and cried.

"Shh… Rory, it's okay. I forgive you. I'm sorry, too. It's been too long. I'm so sorry."

"I pulled a Lorelai." She whispered as they sat at the kitchen table. Lorelai had put a pot of coffee on, but Rory neglected to tell her she couldn't drink it just yet.

"I'm sorry, what? That would imply that… oh my god." She simply nodded. "Why?"

"It was the only way to escape."

"Why didn't you just walk away?"

"I couldn't. I thought I'd have no where to go. But he told me you'd welcome me with open arms. He hadn't been wrong so far. So I finally took the chance."

"Who? Kid, explain here, sweets."

"Finn…"

"Oh, so… it's Finn's?" She nodded. "I'll be damned. He… he really did it."

"What?" Rory's head snapped up to her mother's thoughtful face.

"Logan… came to ask me for my permission with Finn. I closed the door in his face. Finn came back later that night. He told me you were miserable without me. That Logan was trying to fix things. I told him the only way we could fix things was if you weren't with Logan. I told him I wouldn't stand idly by and watched my daughter slip away from me. It would be easier for me to walk away now then slowly torture myself. He told me he'd do whatever he could to try and save you. To keep you from becoming a society wife. But he couldn't tell Logan to walk away. That wasn't fair. It had to be up to you to walk away, or Logan. I don't know what took him so long to finally do something."

"He finally realized I was almost gone. He, he knows me so well. He knew exactly what to do to get me to finally leave. But as long as I didn't have you I wouldn't leave. I let Logan convince me that you turned your back on me."

"I'm so sorry, Rory. I couldn't stand by and watch you willing throw away the life I worked so hard to give you, so you could run back to the one I ran from. Part of me died the day you moved in with my parents."

"I'm sorry, Mom." They sat in silence for a few moments.

"So, what happens now? Where's Finn?"

"Finn… is in Australia. I pushed him away and told him to forget about me and the baby. But I can't go back to Logan, Mom. I don't want to. I… I think I love him."

"Logan? Or Finn?"

"Finn…. That night… I've never experienced anything like that in my life."

"Well, with a sexy exotic boy toy like that, I'd imagine so."

"Mom! That is the father of your grandbaby!"

"Grandbaby…." Lorelai cooed. "I'm gonna be a grandmother. To a little Australian half breed."

"Mom…"

"I missed you, hun."

"Almost 3 years, Mom."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"So, what's happened here in the Hollow?"

"Well…" And hours were spent regaling Rory of all the missed adventures until a shocked Luke came home to find Rory and Lorelai passed out on the couch with Casablanca on the screen and Willy Wonka sitting on top the TV.

Once again, incessant knocking was rapping against the Crap Shack door, unwanted. "Who ever you are, are you aware of what time is it?" Luke asked opening the door.

"Tell me she's here. Tell me she came." An out of breath Australian asked. He seemed slightly buzzed.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because she'll leave him for good if she's here. Tell me she's here, please, Luke." He begged.

"She's here." He collapsed against the house in exhaustion.

"Thank god. Finally."

"This is your doing? You brought Rory back?"

"Don't thank me. You'll only waste your breath because you're going to kill when you find out how."

"What did you do?"

"Luke? Who's at the door?" Lorelai asked as she neared. "You!" Lorelai through her arms around him. "Thank you! I didn't think you would do it." Then she smacked him.

"Ow."

"You couldn't think of any other way?" She screeched at him.

"Lorelai! Babette?" Luke reminded.

"Mom? Who's here?" Rory called.

"In my defense, I didn't think of that until that moment… besides. She wouldn't have left if she wasn't. I know she wouldn't have."

"Wasn't what?" Luke asked.

"Finn?" She asked looking shocked. "What are you doing here."

"Logan called. Told me he was going to kill me and to stay the hell away from you." He replied knowingly.

"Oh. Well, obviously that didn't happen."

"Tell me you aren't marrying him."

"Finn…."

"Please, Rory don't make this all for nothing."

"Why wouldn't she marry, Logan? Not that I'm objecting to that idea, but can someone fill me in." Luke asked, more than slightly bewildered.

"I'm… pregnant."

"Oh, so you wouldn't be marrying Logan because…"

"It's not Logan's, Luke." Lorelai supplied.

"Oh. Because the baby is…. " He turned to Finn and smacked him in the head before putting him in a headlock. "That was seriously the best you could come up with? Get her pregnant?"

"She didn't believe me that he was cheating on her!" Finn cried. "It worked didn't it?"

"True." Luke let go.

"Okay, now that we have that covered-" Finn exasperated. "Tell me you aren't going to marry him. Tell me you 're getting out. and never going back and are staying in Stars Hollow with your mother until the day the Great Coffee Gods call her home. Please."

"I still have to, you know, officially break it off. But, I'm pretty sure it is safe to say that Grandma is going to have a heart attack. I… I don't know if I can do this to her. After Grandpa…."

"I know, Love. But, maybe she'll embrace it."

"It will ruin her. Her daughter ran away with an illegitimate baby at 17. Now her granddaughter is breaking off the biggest engagement in Hartford since Honor's wedding six weeks before hand because she's pregnant with the grooms' best friends' baby. She'll have nothing left after this."

"She made the choice to push to this point, Love." Finn said cradling her face in his palms. "She pushed Lorelai and you apart and tore your Grandfather in two. Since then all she's done is try to make you into what Lorelai never was. Maybe she needs this as much as you do. Maybe she needs to escape, too. Maybe she needs to reconnect with her own daughter. Or connect in the first place."

"Maybe." She whispered. "Were you serious when you said you'd stay by my side?"

"Very."

"Okay." Neither notice that Luke and Lorelai had slipped inside and were watching from the window at the intimate moment.

"Who knew?" Luke whispered.

"I had a feeling. You could see it in his eyes that night. Too bad it took him so long. That's 3 years we'll never get back."

"Just make sure that nothing like this ever happens between you and her again, or her and her daughter."

"What makes you think she'll have a daughter?" Lorelai asked.

"She's a Gilmore Girl. She'll have a daughter. And she'll be as extraordinary as her grandmother and mother are."

_**Escaping**_

"What are you doing here? Why is he with you?" Logan demanded as Rory and Finn entered the apartment.

"Logan… I made up with my mother."

"I told you to stay away from her!' He yelled drunkenly at Finn. "You were supposed to be loyal to me. But no. You were jealous and had to have for yourself, huh?"

"I'm moving to Stars Hollow." She continued, while he yelled all sorts of obscenities at Finn, who stood listening without so much as a flinch.

"Had to get her pregnant, Finn, right? Or try. Who knew you could reproduce? With all the alcohol and drugs you've consumed, you should be infertile!" Logan screamed. "Oh, you might already had been. I mean your sist-" The line was crossed with his last comment, as Finn's fist swiftly and calmly collided with Logan's face.

"Stop being a fucking ass, Logan. Leave my sister the hell out of it."

"Did you think of that, Finn? Did you? That what if she _did_ but it wasn't yours? What if it _was_ mine? You sure your equipment works properly?" Finn's jaw tightened as Rory continued to pack miscellaneous things into the box she had with her. Logan's words stopped her though. "Do you know for sure it's yours?"

"You hadn't had sex in weeks, Logan. Not with Rory anyway."

"You still don't know, though, do you?"

"What are you talking about, Logan? Finn? What's he saying?"

"You didn't know that Finn's sister can't have kids? Yeah, she's infertile. Finn here is at a very high risk of not being able to either." Finn's whole body was rigid.

"Finn?" She asked scared. "Could it…. Could it not be yours?"

"Rory-" He tried.

"Don't. Yes or no, Finn."

"Yes."

"Oh my god. Oh… my god." Rory collapsed onto the couch hyperventilating. "No. I… if it's not yours I can't….. I'm stuck if…. No. Oh my god, no."

"Rory, Love, look at me. Breath." Finn tried to console her. Logan watched with a sinister smile on his face.

"Well, if the baby _is_ mine, you have no reason to leave. Which means everything will be fine. Guess we should get that paternity test, huh?"

"Logan, you ass. You do realize there is maybe a 5 chance that the baby is yours, right?" Finn spat at him. "Rory, the fact that you are exactly as far along as you would be if it was mine kind of proves, yes it's mine. When was the last time you and Logan had sex before that?" She thought for a few moments.

"Two weeks."

"See, sperm can only live for up to a week!" He replied happily. "See, crisis adverted, baby is Finn's."

"She could have been pregnant already when she slept with you-" Logan tried to argue.

"Now, you are grasping for straws." He replied. "Come on, Love. We'll come back for the rest of the stuff later. I need to get you home to Lorelai."

"She is home." Logan challenged.

"No, she's not. Home is where the heart is, Logan. And hers? Hers has been missing for 3 years because of said 'home'." The soft clicking of the door sounded through the whole apartment as Logan was left in its vast emptiness. What did he do to have the only girl he loved to walk out on him, pregnant by his best friend? Easy. He cheated on her and let her get too close to his best friend. He didn't have the guts to stand up to his father and try and save her. She wasn't Ace anymore. She was very far from the girl he'd fallen for. He was just too blind to see. Maybe this was his wake up call, too. Maybe it was time for him to escape this life before he destroyed someone else, or worse, himself.

"Rory?" Emily entered the living room with a shocked expression. "Whatever are you doing here. We didn't have any plans, did we? Who is this?"

"No, we didn't, Grandma. You remember Logan's friend Finn, don't you?" Suddenly, Emily's posture changed. Her shoulders squared a bit.

"Oh, yes. Of course. How are you, Finnegan?"

"Just fine, Mrs. Gilmore. Thank you. Not to be rude, but we have something we'd like to discuss with you."

"What is it?"

"Grandma, could you sit please?"

"Why?"

"Please." Rory begged.

"Very well." She grandly took a seat. "What is it you'd like to tell me?"

'Band aid.' Rory thought and quickly rushed out the words, "I'mnotmarryingLoganbecauseI'mpregnantwithFinn'sbaby." Emily stared blankly at her. "Grandma?"

"Mrs. Gilmore, are you alright?"

"What do you mean you aren't marrying Logan?"

"I'm pregnant with another man's baby, Grandma. How _could_ I marry Logan?"

"What society doesn't know can't hurt them." She clipped.

"Mrs. Gilmore, with all due respect-"

"You have no respect. The fact that you slept with someone you supposedly care so much about's wife says as much."

"First off, they aren't married yet. Secondly, he's been cheating on her since you two went to Europe. And lastly, I was trying to save her from becoming someone she wasn't meant to be."

"Everyone has their affairs."

"Did you? Mr. Gilmore?"

"Do not mention my late husband in such a way, you insolent little-"

"No, he didn't." Finn challenged. "And neither did you. Not all Hartford couples are horrible, but you all have the immense capability to be shitty parents and grandparents. You try so hard to do what's 'right' for your children you never think of what they want or will make them happy. Rory ran to you 3 years ago when all of her hopes and dreams were dashed to pieces and you took the opportunity to groom her into what Lorelai never was. When all she really needed was Mr. Gilmore and you to tell her she was brilliant and to convince her to go back to school."

"Please explain to me, Mr. Morgan, how getting my granddaughter pregnant is supposed to 'save her'. Now she really will be Lorelai."

"No, she won't. Besides, Lorelai's made herself a pretty amazing life."

"She's no better than I was. Lorelai got pregnant, I pushed her away by trying to control her. Rory messed up and Lorelai did the same. And where is Lorelai now, Finn?"

"Mom is in Stars Hollow at Luke's waiting with pie for me when we get done here." Rory finally spoke up.

"You made up?" Emily was startled.

"Yes. And, I'm moving back to Stars Hollow, with Finn. And we are going to raise the baby away from Hartford. And I think, I'm going to go back to school. Try and get 3 years of my life back."

"Your grandfather would be very happy to hear that." Emily was close to tears. "The rift between you and your mother, and you dropping out of school… it broke his heart. I never wanted to admit it, but that's what caused his heart attack."

"I know. I'm so sorry, Grandma. And I know this is going to ruin you in Hartford. I know. I'm so sorry."

"Rory, Finn's right. I should have sent you back to school and not had betrayed your mother 3 years ago.. Whatever you need with the baby, let me know." She stood up and stood before Finn. "If you ever mistreat my granddaughter or great-grandchild I will personally ruin you."

"Yes, Mrs. Gilmore."

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a wedding to cancel."

Once the pair was back in Finn's car, the tears Rory had been holding back fell.

"Shh, that went better than expected, right?" He tried to calm her.

"It was my fault. I never should have dropped out."

"It wasn't your fault. No one is to blame except Mitchum and Shira. They caused this."

"I never should have gotten involved with Logan."

"Hey now! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be here now, would we? We wouldn't be expecting our first baby, now would we? And I wouldn't be able to kiss you, like this-" He leaned over and kissed her gently. "Whenever I want." She smiled through her tears.

"Come on. I want pie and pickles." Finn laughed.

"As you wish, Love. As you wish."

_**The Happy Ending**_

"Well, now that the engagement has been broken off, and Logan has personally ruined his parents reputation-" He began,

"Which we owe him very many thanks for." Lorelai pointed out.

"We have a new 'society' problem." He finished.

"Which is?" Rory asked.

"My parents."

"What?" The spoon that had been on its way to her mouth clanked on the table with a loud thud.

"We still have to tell my parents that they're going to be grandparents. That and the mother of said grandchild is the recent scandal."

"Why must I always be a scandal?" Rory pouted.

"Sorry." Finn winced as Lorelai smacked him. Rory absently ran her hand over her small baby bump.

"Well, if we have, too."

"They'll be happy. I promise. They aren't _as_ strict as most Hartford parent's."

"But they're still Hartford parents." Lorelai warned.

"True."

"She's WHAT?" An Australian accent screamed through the room.

"Pregnant, mum. My girlfriend is pregnant." Finn tried to hide his smile as his mother began jumping for joy, practically.

"Oh my god! Yes. I'll have grandchildren!" Finn's sister sat back with a small frown. "Oh, Evie. I'm sorry. I meant-"

"It's fine, Mother. I'm used to it." The despondent 20 year replied. "Congratulations, Finn. It was nice meeting you, Rory." With that she left the room.

"Oh, now I feel bad." Rory pouted. Finn smiled softly at her as he kissed away her pout.

"Don't, Love. She'll be fine. She's known since she was 16 that she can't have children."

"So, when are we planning the wedding for?" Rory choked on her water.

"Um, Mrs. Morgan-"

"Please, dear, call me Jane."

"Okay, Jane. See, there is one other slight problem…" Seeing Rory was struggling for words, Finn took over.

"You know how Logan just broke off his engagement to the Gilmore girl?" Jane nodded. "Rory _is_ the Gilmore girl." And her jaw hit the floor.

"Oh. Oh!"

"Yeah."

"So, it's your fault he broke off the engagement then."

"Well, actually I broke off the engagement. He took the blame to piss off his parents." Rory replied.

"Oh. I guess we can't go marrying you off just yet then, can we?"

"Mum, we want nothing to do with Hartford anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't grow up in society. My mom ran away at 17. Part of the reason I left Logan was because I don't want to be a society wife. I had wanted to be a reporter since I was 4. If I keep in society, I'm afraid I'll turn into a society wife again."

"Well, then. What exactly are you trying to tell me?"

"We want you involved in the baby's life. But we don't want society to be. No ever using our children as pawns in society. No over spoiling. No butting into how we raise them-"

"I get it, dear. Not a problem. As long as I can see my grandchildren."

"And when we do get married- no butting in. No over the top-"

"Finn, I think she gets it." Rory smiled at him.

"Logan!" Mitchum yelled barging into his son's office. "Explain this to me!" He through a newspaper on to the desk. Logan looked up at him expressionlessly.

"Lorelai Evelyn Gilmore Morgan: December 3, 2009. It's a birth announcement." He shrugged.

"Why is that bastard's birth taking up almost the entire cover page of the Society section of _my_ newspaper?"

"First of all, that's my niece." Logan replied. "Secondly, it was the biggest society announcement we had for the day."

"You were supposed to have the article about your engagement in there today."

"It is. See." Logan pointed to a small section near the bottom of the page. "Logan Huntzburger tries again. He and his most recent love interest, Small Town-er Jennifer Benjamin have announced their engagement."

"What happened to the Roberts girl?"

"The one you forced me to date? Oh, well, she found out I had a girlfriend and left."

"But you don't have a girlfriend."

"You are very right about that. I have a fiancée. Her name is Jennifer. You should really meet her sometime before the wedding."

"Logan." He warned.

"Forget it, Dad. I'm done with living up to your image and standards. When my best friend has to get my fiancée pregnant to save both of us from turning into people we never wanted to be, that's a problem. I've learned a lot from the past year. I won't neglect your paper, I promise. And Jenn's a teacher. There isn't much you can do about that. Now, if you don't mind I think I should call Rory and see how's she's feeling."

"Ha. I would love to have seen that." Rory was holding his sides as Logan relayed the story to Finn and herself.

"Ya know. I still don't know why we didn't all just walk away?" Logan asked. "Why did we all put ourselves through all that crap. Or, why _Finn_ put us through all that crap."

"Personally, mate. I really don't care. What matters is I have my daughter and I have Rory." Finn cradled his daughter, a soft look in his eyes.

"We all owe a lot to that little girl."

"We owe a lot to her Daddy." Rory argued.

"Hey, don't give me any credit. I simply played it by ear and lucked out. It was a pretty stupid idea if you think about it."

"We have. Many times. It was the stupidest idea I have ever heard of." Logan replied. "But, what's the best way to get out of Hartford then a scandal?"

"A Baby Scandal!"

"It never should have even come to this, Ace. I'm so sorry I wasn't-"

"Logan. Stop. It's no one's fault." Rory took Leevy, as she was called, from Finn. "From this day on, we never speak of it again. History starts over. We've all lost things in the last 4 years. But we've gained things too. It does not matter how it happened, it just did. We all escaped. And we aren't ever going back." She paused. "Agreed?"

"Agreed." The boys replied.

** _Fin_ **

Well, I hope you enjoyed this. I enjoyed writing it.


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